U.S. Pat. No. 9,505,527 (“the '527 Patent”) issued on Nov. 29, 2016 from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/153,688 (“the '688 application”), and is directed to a protective bottle enclosure for enclosing and sealing the open mouth of a bottle (at the end/top of the bottleneck) inside the protective bottle enclosure. The protective bottle enclosure is comprised of a container and an external cover configured to removably engage the container. The cover has (i) a stopper and (ii) a cylindrical sleeve. The cylindrical sleeve partially extends inside of the neck of the upper portion of the container and surrounds a portion of the bottleneck. When the cover is fully seated (screwed/tightened) against the upper portion of the container, the cover forms a first seal (between the cover and the container). The cover is further configured to seal the open mouth of a bottle. More particularly, the stopper is described as being configured to form a second seal between the cover and the bottle, including when the bottle is in the “open” position, and the liquid contents of the bottle are accessible (through the open bottle mouth).
In certain embodiments, the container is comprised of (a) an upper portion and (b) a base. The upper portion has a (i) a neck, (ii) a shoulder below the neck and (iii) a lower section below the shoulder. The base has a (i) bottom and (ii) a sidewall configured to removably couple with the lower section. The neck of the upper portion is described as having internal threads that engage with external threads on the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,637,270 (“the '270 Patent”) issued on May 2, 2017 from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/362,540 (“the '540 application”, which is a continuation of the '688 application). The '270 Patent, like the '527 Patent, claims aspects of the three sections of the protective bottle enclosure—the cover, cylindrical body, and base—in more detail. From top to bottom, the cylindrical body has (i) an upper opening at the end of a neck section, (ii) a neck section having interior threads, (iii) a middle section that is wider than the neck, and (iv) a bottom opening having exterior threads. The bottom opening of the cylindrical body is inserted into a base having (i) an open top, (ii) sidewalls with interior threads and (iii) a bottom. The interior threads of the base sidewall threadably engage the exterior threads of the bottom opening of the cylindrical body.
The cover has a cylindrical sleeve that is narrower than the neck section, and is configured to be inserted into the upper opening of the neck and to surround a portion of the bottleneck. The cylindrical sleeve has exterior threads that engage the interior threads of the neck section. When the base is fully engaged with the bottom opening of the cylindrical body, and the cover is fully engaged with the upper opening of the cylindrical body, the protective bottle enclosure seals and insulates the open bottle.
Both the '527 Patent and the '270 Patent teach that an elastomer may be wrapped within the upper portion of protective bottle enclosure. The elastomeric form is further described as being continuous, and generally cylindrical.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/584,013 (“the '013 application”) was filed on May 1, 2017, as a continuation of the '540 application. In response to a Non-Final Office Action filed on Jan. 17, 2018, the claims of the '013 application were amended to focus on a particular feature of a protective bottle enclosure not claimed in the '527 or '270 Patent—namely, a removable plastic cover comprising a plug connected to a cylindrical sleeve, the plug comprising an annular flange surrounding a stopper, the annular flange being configured to seal the open mouth of the bottle when the stopper is inserted into the open mouth of a bottle (inside of the protective bottle enclosure).
US Patent Application Publication 2011/0204048, now abandoned, teaches expandable and cleanable containers for storing materials for human consumption (i.e., beverages) comprised of: (a) a bottom piece with a threaded opening; (b) a first expansion piece with (i) a threaded bottom that is described as “complementary” and “threadedly connectable” to the threaded opening of the bottom piece, and (ii) a threaded bottom that is described as “complementary” and “threadedly connectable” to the threaded bottom of a bottom piece; and (c) a top piece threadably connectable to the first expansion piece. 2011/0204048 also teaches a second expansion piece which is threadedly connectable between (a) the first expansion piece and the bottom piece or (b) the first expansion piece and the top piece. The outer diameter of each of the sections are described as substantially similar.
The concept of expandable, cylindrical containers is further described in the following prior art patent publications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,134 describes a container comprised of a top member having an opening for filling and pouring and a bottom member integrally connected with the bottom member by a flexible mid-section, comprised of three subsections, that is both expandable and compressible/collapsible. By expanding/collapsing the three subsections, the internal volume of the container may be incrementally adjusted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,155 describes an insulating device for bottles having a lower cylindrical enclosure which “telescopically receives” an upper enclosure having a dome-shaped upper end. The upper and lower enclosures have mating threads adapted to achieve “a quick plunge insertion and sealing feature”.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,252 teaches a rigid, cylindrical container with improved insulation for a necked beverage bottle comprised of (i) a base and (ii) a frustoconical top through which the neck of a beverage bottle may extend. The base is described as a rigid, generally cylindrical container having a bottom, an insulated sidewall, and open top. The sidewall and bottom form a generally cylindrical recess of a diameter that snugly receives the closed end of a beverage bottle. The top is formed of a flexible resilient insulating material, and releasably mounts/attaches to the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,516 likewise discloses an insulated beverage (bottle or can) holder having a lower cylindrical enclosure which receives an upper cylindrical enclosure. The lower cylindrical enclosure has vertical ribs to frictionally grip the upper cylindrical enclosure. The upper cylindrical enclosure is adapted to cover the top portion of a bottle inserted into the lower cylindrical enclosure and to snuggly receive a can or bottle when inverted and inserted into the lower cylindrical enclosure.
U.S. Patent Design Pat. No. D640935 S1 discloses the design of a container with a top cover that screws into a top section, a bottom cover that screws into a bottom section, and middle expansion ring that threadably connects (screws into) the top and bottom sections.
Multi-section metal (stainless steel or aluminum) beverage holders/coolers are marketed to cover/protect and insulate a necked beer bottle, with a top section tapered to fit the top section of the bottle (i.e., neck), and a bottom section configured to hold the cylindrical body of the bottle. By removing the top section, these same coolers can serve as an insulating sleeve for a beer can. Representative of these prior art protective beverage coolers is Asobu Frosty Beer 2 available on Amazon.com as Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN B079ZR13RJ) and ORCA Rocket Bottle Cup and Can Holder (ASIN B019NMPOC4); FitMaker Bottle Keeper (ASIN B077ZPXMN).
Some prior art insulated stainless steel beer bottle holders have a bottle opener integrated in the lid. See, e.g., Asobu Frosty Beer 2.
Other prior art stainless steel beer bottle holders have a bottle opener attached to the cover.
See, e.g., FitMaker Bottle Keeper.